The Science of Pulse

1. Difference between Whey Protein Concentrate (pulse) and Whey Protein Isolate (other whey proteins), with regards to the integrity of the protein.

Presently, the various commercial methods of processing whey do not improve or even maintain the fragile immune modulating and regenerative components or the biological activity that was originally in the milk. Most are overly processed and damaged during the manufacturing process (which can cause degenerative diseases!).

There are three commercial production methods, which comprise the majority of available whey proteins. They are isolates (the most popular), ion-exchange and hydrolyzed forms. They are all ultra-filtered, cross-flow filtered or micro-filtered via elaborate patented methods developed by large dairies. The milk used in these three methods undergoes major processing that involves high heat (often multiple times) and drastic acidification of the whey to produce curds for manufacturing cheese. These steps denature (damage) the proteins. Extensive filtration is then required to remove the many denatured proteins in order to produce the highest percentage of protein. Unfortunately, the fragile vital protein components (immunoglobulins, lactoferring, serum albumin, etc), which determine the biological activity of the protein, are not retained. The terms undenatured and cold-processed are prevalent with these commercial products, but once a protein is denatured it is not possible to undenature it.

The key point in regard to the quality and effectiveness of whey is that the full range of biological activity and proportion of the protein components be preserved in their original native form as nature provided. Only whey that is minimally processed and maintained can achieve that goal. Additionally, the health of the milking cows and quality of the milk is the foundation of this type of product.

Beware: Most Whey Proteins are Inferior and Will Actually Harm You

There’s no shortage of whey products on the market, but unfortunately most of them will NOT give you the health benefits associated with high-quality whey. First of all, you want to use a whey protein concentrate. High quality whey protein concentrates also have glutamylcysteine, the major precursor to glutathione, which is another phenomenal anti-aging nutrient.

There is probably no other area of processed foods where you need to be careful than in selecting a high quality whey supplement.

Most whey proteins are processed from ultrapasteurized milk and many are exposed to acid processing. Heat and acid damages the protein and makes it insoluble in water. This is one of the key ways to differentiate high quality whey protein from inferior ones.

But the whey manufacturers know this, and know that insoluble powders are not appealing for a variety of reasons, so they add chemical flavors and detergents to restore flavor and solubility. They put in genetically modified soy lecithin, and also dump chemical surfactants, which are used in soap, like polysorbate 80, propylene glycol, and ethoxylated mono-diglycerides along with maltodextrin, caseinates, and hydrolyzed proteins, which are really disguised MSG. They also use artificial sweeteners, like aspartame and sucralose.

The overheated whey protein is a clearly inferior form of whey that should be avoided because it contains putrid proteins, which are actually more damaging to your health than rancid fats. They also change their molecular shape to the wrong form. If you have taken biochemistry, you will be familiar with optical isomers. Proteins in foods and in your body are in the L form, but processing used to produce whey isolates produces damaging D optical isomers, which are not designed to be in your body. Depositing these D proteins in your bone, brain and muscle is associated with accelerated aging. Accumulation of D proteins in the brain has been linked to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson.

Whey Protein Isolates have Dangerous Forms of Protein

Beware of whey protein isolates. All whey protein isolates are devoid of nutritional co-factors including alkalizing minerals, naturally occurring vitamins, and lipids, which are lost in the processing. This renders them deficient and overly acidifying. Unlike whole protein food concentrates which does not acidify your body due to its alkalinizing minerals, whey protein isolate are over acidifying.

Whey isolate can be a serious liability.

If chronically consumed in large amounts (such as with bodybuilders or athletes) without alkalizing foods, it can acidify your body and over time may lead to metabolic acidosis with consequences that include waste of muscle and bone tissues, total metabolic shut down, and increased vulnerability to degenerative disease.

Many cheap whey protein isolates are produced from acid cheese; they’re byproducts of acid processing, which is a cheap way to separate whey from the curd. Most of these whey products are rated below pet foods because of the inferior quality of the protein, which is actually more of a nitrogen waste product than one that will produce health benefits that are mentioned in the featured study.

Additionally, once the fat has been removed from whey protein isolate, you lose some of the most important components of its immunological properties, such as phospholipids, phosphatidylserine and CLA. All of the IgG immunoglobulins, which are an excellent source of glutamine and glutamylcysteine, are also bound to the fat globule, and therefore lost in the processing of whey isolates.

So the bottom line is that if you want to use whey protein, PLEASE do not use an inferior whey isolate as there is no doubt it will cause more damage to you than benefit.

Leucine is part of branched-chain amino acid that serves multiple functions in your body, one of which is signaling the mTOR (Mammalian Target of Rapamycin) mechanism, to increase protein synthesis and builds your muscle.

However, according to Hofmekler, you need VERY HIGH amounts of leucine to reap the optimal effect—FAR more than the recommended daily allowance (RDA)—because most of it gets used up as an energy substrate or building block rather than an anabolic agent.

The highest concentrations of leucine are found in dairy products, particularly quality cheese and whey protein.

Be aware that taking leucine as a free form amino acid supplement can be counterproductive and wrought with side effects. For example, intravenous administration of free form leucine has shown to cause severe hyperglycemic reactions and insulin resistance.

Hence, to get the benefits without the side effects, make sure you get your leucine from food only. The typical requirement for leucine to maintain body protein is 1-3 grams daily. However, to optimize its anabolic pathway, you need an estimated 8-16 grams of leucine daily, according to Hofmekler.

The following chart presents leucine content in common foods:

Leucine Content in food / per 100g

Whey Protein Concentrate

8.0g

Raw Cheddar Cheese

3.6g

Lean Beef

1.7g

Salmon

1.6g

Almonds

1.5g

Chicken

1.4g

Chick Peas

1.4g

Raw Eggs

1.0g

Egg Yolk

1.4g

Sheep Milk

0.6g

Pork

0.4g

Cow Milk

0.3g

This means that to obtain the minimum eight gram leucine requirement for anabolic purposes, you’d have to consume a pound and a half of chicken, or about 16 eggs, or half a pound of raw cheddar cheese!

Most would agree that eating these amounts of food each day simply isn’t feasible. However, you only need three ounces of high-quality whey to reach the eight gram requirement, making whey an obvious choice.

3. Pulse contains the full range and highest levels of the most important protein components – Lactoferrin and Immunoglobulins

LactoferrinLactoferrin is an iron-binding and iron-modulating protein found in bovine milk and even more prevalent in our whey protein concentrate. Lactoferrin resides in the chemical family called cytokines. This family of chemicals coordinates the body’s cellular immune defensive response that protects us from most infections, tumors and cancers. They also boost the activity of T-cells and stimulate production of immunoglobulins. Without these cytokines, our immune system suffers and reacts by creating an over-active immune response. It is our body’s first defense, protecting orifices such as the eyes, mouth and nose from bacterial infection.Lactoferrin

ImmunoglobulinsImmunoglobulins (IgG) are proteins that are present in bovine whey protein. One of their functions is as a transporter of antibodies against harmful microorganisms like viruses, bacteria and other foreign invaders. IgG has been used to treat diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis A, anemia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and chickenpox, among others. IgG are essential elements to maintain a humans immunity from detrimental microorganisms and toxins.

Pulse protein is concentrate whereas most whey proteins are isolate, which make them denatured. Denatured protein causes the tertiary structure of (a protein) to unfold, as with heat, alkali, or acid, so that some of its original properties, especially its biological activity, are diminished or eliminated. This results in damaged protein which is damaging to the body increasing the risk of degenerative diseases. Pulse is non-denatured, which maintains the integrity and nutritional profile of the whole protein. This assists with the body’s ability to process and absorb Pulse protein resulting in a higher assimilation and absorption rate.

5. Pulse is flashed pasteurized for 15 seconds using a proprietary filtration and drying method to best maintain the fragile immune-modulating and regenerative components naturally present in fresh raw milk.

If someone says that their protein is superior because it is cold-processed or cold-pastuerized, that usually means that it is irradiated – full of radiation (i.e. bacteria is killed using radiation. Can you can cancer?)

6. Pulse is a great antioxidant containing an effective anti-aging substance.*

Pulse contains exceptional amounts of the Glutathione precursor, covalent bonded Cysteine. Cysteine is the critical amino acid required for the all-important intracellular production of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH). Glutathione is our body’s master antioxidant and is responsible for numerous defense and repair functions and is an effective anti-aging substance. Glutathione is best utilized when we produce it internally. Cysteine is very scarce in our modern diet and therefore glutathione production is limited and deficiency is prevalent. If cysteine undergoes extreme heating or processing, as most commercial whey products do, it is denatured and converted to cystine. Cystine is the form that is found in all of the commercial and claimed high-end whey proteins, as they are all by-products. pulse is unique as it is the only native whey product that contains naturally occurring cysteine (covalent bonded). Bonded cystine, very different than covalent bonded, has become a marketing term, and it is misleading. Two cysteine molecules bonded together form cystine. It is created by denaturation (damage) to the milk and whey from induced heat and/ or pH stressors from the manufacture of cheese. This unbreakable bond forms a cystine molecule that is difficult for the body to utilize as a precursor for intracellular glutathione production.

Regarding Whey Protein Concentrate, The Journal Immunology reports, “The bioactivity occurs through the ability of the protein concentrate to help replenish Glutathione levels via continuous dietary provision of Glutathione precursors, especially cysteine, during lymphocyte proliferation, thus supporting an optimal immune response. This process seems to not only increase intercellular levels of Glutathione and precursors at the time of ingestion, but also builds up stores of these substances within the cells which lasts for a substantial post-ingestion time interval.” Fidelus RK, Tsan MF. GSH and lymphocyte activation: a function of aging and autoimmune disease. Immunology 61: 503-508, 1987

7. Pulse is excellent support for the immune system and tastes amazing.

Serum Albumin, Active Peptides and Growth Factors makes pulse the optimum nutrition protein powder to support proper immune function. It’s not chalky or clumpy. pulse protein powder will not leave you feeling bloated. You can hardly tell it is in there.

9. Pulse is made from cows who are grass-fed year round.

Most “grass-fed” cattle do not graze year round. Grass-fed cows have 2 to 4 times the amount of omega 3 fatty acids, which is a rich source of CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid). When cows are allowed to graze on fresh pastures alone, their milk contains 3 to 5 times more CLA than products from cows fed grain. Organic is not a helpful standard to look for, because many organic dairies use or supplement with grain during the year.

10. Guidelines for Finding a High-Quality Whey

To ensure you’re getting a high-quality product, make sure the whey you’re buying fulfills the following requirements:Hofmekler recommends using whey derived from raw milk cheese manufacturing as it’s the highest quality whey you can possibly find today.

One of the most important components of the whey is glycomacropeptides (GMP), which has amazing immuno components that are critically important for your gut flora. However, only whey produced from raw milk can grant you these benefits. Other varieties do not.

11. Pulse Whey Protein Quality As Compared to Other Available Proteins

Pulse is a complete protein, unlike soy or whey protein isolate, and provides all the essential amino acids in the correct balance. The quality of dietary proteins is a vital factor in determining what proteins are the most valuable in terms of how the body assimilates and utilizes the protein as a resource.

To test these ratios in a protein source we begin with an amino acid analysis, a nitrogen analysis, and then we proceed to the biologic testing. Measuring changes in the protein of the body is a well accepted evaluative analysis used to determine protein quality, measured as Biologic Value (BV). This involves the measurement of nitrogen intake from the protein and the output of nitrogen in the feces and urine. BV is therefore a measurement of the nitrogen absorbed and utilized by the body.

Biologic Value (BV) of Dietary Proteins(1)

Protein

Biologic Value

Whey protein

104

Egg

100

Cow’s Milk

91

Beef

80

Fish

79

Casein

77

Soy

74

Potato

71

Rice

59

Wheat

54

Beans

49

As this table shows, the animal proteins are high in BV, and are therefore complete proteins(2). While vegetable proteins are much more incomplete and retain a lower BV rating, due as well to their lower digestibility(1). With a mixture of these vegetable proteins the effect of a complete protein can be produced when eaten in sufficient quantity, but this requires a great deal more total protein to satisfy these requirements.